MITCHELL, Cecil Thomas

Architect

M Inst S E; MSA; TPIA (1927); ISAA (1927); FRIBA (1929); CPIA (date unknown).

Mitchell worked as an architect in Johannesburg for a few years from 1910 until the First World War. He was probably born in England since he studied applied ornament under JC Park, designer, Leeds (?) from 1902 to 1904 leaving to work in the office of SE South, FRIBA in Leeds from 1903 to 1906. He studied at the School of Art, Leeds between 1904 and 1906 and left for London in 1906. He continued his studies at the Kingston School of Art and Battersea Polytechnic between 1907 and 1909 working as an assistant to FG Hughes from 1906 to 1910. Mitchell came to Johannesburg in 1910 where he was employed as an assistant by Theo SCHAERER, FRIBA, and commenced practice on his own account in Johannesburg in 1913. With the outbreak of the First World War he enlisted, serving with the South African Mounted Cyclists' Corps. Mitchell did not immediately return to South Africa. By 1919 he was working in Kenya and by 1929, when he applied for Fellowship of the RIBA, he was assistant engineer with the Public Works Department in Uganda where he appears to have gone in about 1921. His FRIBA papers were signed by D Ivor LEWIS, formerly of South Africa but by then in Wales, who gives some idea of Mitchell's style in South Africa, House E St M Hutchinson, describing it as 'a two storey residence ... built in local brick with fine rough cast. Its main features being the exceptionally large verandah (or stoep) the absence of waste space in the roof and the provision of a cellar larder, an unusual feature in Johannesburg suburbs' (Mitchell's FRIBA nom papers 1929). Mitchell's work in Kenya included House James McCral, Muthaiga (1919); Lamberts Ltd Offices, Nairobi (1920); in Uganda, Mill Hill Mission, Kampala (1921); The Secretariat, Entebbe (1925); Law Courts, Kampala (1928); Government Currency Strong Room, Jinja (1925); Mental Hospital, Luzria (?) (1926). By 1959 he is registered as a member of the Cape Institute, resident in Somerset West, and again in 1969, located in the Hottentots Holland Building, Main Road, Somerset West.

(FRIBA nom papers (1929) 2696; Jnl ATA Dec 1916:45, 46; UTD 1915)

All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon.

List of projects

With photographs
With notes

House A Coxon: pre-1915. Johannesburg, Gauteng - Architect

House E St M Hutchinson: 1913. Johannesburg, Gauteng - Architect

House Emil Hjost: pre-1915. Johannesburg, Gauteng - Architect

Books citing MITCHELL

ISAA. 1959. The Yearbook of the Institute of South African Architects and Chapter of SA Quantity Surveyors 1958-1959 : Die Jaarboek van die Instituut van Suid-Afrikaanse Argitekte en Tak van Suid-Afrikaanse Bourekenaars 1958-1959. Johannesburg: ISAA. pp 94, 209

ISAA. 1969. The Yearbook of the Institute of South African Architects and Chapter of SA Quantity Surveyors 1968-1969 : Die Jaarboek van die Instituut van Suid-Afrikaanse Argitekte en Tak van Suid-Afrikaanse Bourekenaars 1968-1969. Johannesburg: ISAA. pp 97, 163

ISAA. 1927. Register of Members the Institute of South African Architects. Johannesburg: ISAA (Unpublished Record). pp M16-17